The Sacrifice

O Thou who honour'd Earth so long ago,
O Kingly Christ, the holy Son of God,
Who bore in raven shades the nations' woe
And thro' Thy love the path of Calvary trod !
Thou who didst teach all men to succour need,
Didst vision give to dim and dreamless eyes,
Who crowned Love, Thou who dethroned Greed,
And led the way to Life—to Sacrifice—
O Thou who pleaded ever 'mid disdain
That when for weaker comrades we did give
Our own sweet lives, alone then we did live—
Know Thou, O Christ, Thou didst not live in vain—
For Youth hath found in Love vitality,
And treads with Thee the way to Calvary.